“No winning team ever complains about officiating” – WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert downplays officiating controversy with murky explanation

The WNBA has been swamped with a wave of criticism from players and coaches regarding the quality of officiating. However, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert is not too bothered by this backlash. Instead, she downplayed the complaints, suggesting that teams without winning records often tend to blame the referees.

“There’s always room for growth and improvement in officiating,” Engelbert said. “I do find it interesting when you sit in the chair I sit in that no winning team ever complains about officiating; no losing team ever doesn’t complain about officiating.”

Engelbert did acknowledge that referees occasionally made human errors. But she firmly stood up for the officials and the league’s evaluation process.

“I acknowledge that these individuals are human. They miss things. We evaluate them. They go through an extensive evaluation process. When they come into the league, they go to do a thorough training, extensive training education process.”

Several high-profile coaches have not shied away from speaking out. Indiana Fever’s Stephanie White, Las Vegas Aces’ Becky Hammon and Minnesota Lynx’s Cheryl Reeve are among those who have publicly slammed the inconsistency and quality of the refereeing.

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Napheesa Collier reveals speaking to Cathy Engelbert about the league’s officiating

A total of 63 technical fouls and 18 flagrant fouls have been called just halfway through the WNBA season, raising valid concerns among players about the quality of officiating. Minnesota Lynx star and WNBPA vice president Napheesa Collier has taken things into her own hands, reaching out to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert for a candid conversation to resolve the issue.

Collier emphasized the importance of improving officiating standards, particularly as the league continues to gain popularity.

“I don’t think it’s consistent; I think every player would say that,” Collier said. “I think it’s getting worse. I’m just going to be really honest about it. It’s a conversation that I’ve tried to have with [Commissioner Cathy Engelbert] before, with a lot of people. It’s something that we have to get better at. We have so many new eyes on us, and consistency is the biggest thing.”

From what Cathy Engelbert’s remarks suggest, it seems players will have to continue pushing through the inconsistencies without expecting any changes by the league.

Edited by Dipayan Moitra